A former unionist mayor has paid tribute to his 14-year-old grandson, who was killed in a road accident in Australia last week.

John Scott, who was Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council before retiring last year, said his grandson Caleb Scott was "a marvellous young fella who loved life".

The sport-loving teenager was knocked down, in what local police called a freak accident, by a truck last Friday while cycling home from school with a friend in the Whyalla Norrie region in South Australia.

Mr Scott is due to fly out to join his family - Caleb's parents Stacey and Jonathan, and siblings Jackson (17), JJ (11) and Sammy (2) - today and has thanked the public for their support.

"It's been wonderful that people are out there thinking about you at such a sad time," he said.

Mr Scott said he had enjoyed a close bond with Caleb, who had dreamt of taking a family trip to Northern Ireland.

"As a 14-year-old he was really into his sports like baseball, Australian football, soccer," he said.

"He played them every weekend right through winter to summer. He loved his mum, dad and family. He loved us too, always talking and getting on."

Mr Scott, who had been with the UUP before switching to the DUP, said his son Jonathan, Caleb's father, was one of the first to arrive at the scene.